CCA Bulletin 29/09
December 11, 2009
2010 Pre-budget Consultations Report:
Arts and Culture pushed to the back burner once again!
Just the Facts
On December 9, the Standing Committee on Finance presented to the House of Commons its Report on the 2010 pre-budget consultations titled A prosperous and sustainable future for Canada: needed federal actions. Over 400 organizations appeared in front of the Committee in hearings held across the country over the past three months, at a cost of “half a million dollars to taxpayers”, according to the Liberals. Six of the Report’s 158 pages are dedicated to Arts and Culture.
While the document summarizes the points made by some 35 arts, culture and heritage organizations which made presentations or sent briefs, this report is remarkably short on recommendations concerning the cultural sector. Out of its 55 or so recommendations, only two directly address the sector’s issues, and only in the broadest terms:
“The federal government should make a significant investment in culture, for example by enhancing the Canada Feature Film Fund and the feature length documentary fund, eliminating the Goods and Services Tax on books, providing a tax exemption for copyright royalties and increasing the budget of the Canada Council for the Arts.
Moreover, the government should work with non-national museums with a view to developing a funding strategy for their long-term sustainability.” (p. 83)
If arts and culture were on the minds of politicians during the last federal election, they now seem to have been relegated to the back burner once again. Quite obviously, we still have a lot of work ahead to convince our MPs that the arts and culture sector is an important component of the new creative economy!
Tell me More
The Committee’s Report acknowledges the numerous points raised by cultural organizations, including most of those included in the CCA brief. The Finance Committee comments, in the following order, on “Tax Measures; Funding of Existing Governmental and Non-governmental Programs and Organizations; Print and Audio-visual Media; Tourism; Cultural Infrastructure, Museums and Libraries; International Marketing and Other Issues.”
One notes that members of the Finance Committee from all parties are remarkably coy on one of the main issues raised by a very large number of individuals and organizations over the past year, namely the urgent necessity to re-invest in market development at home and abroad. The opening paragraph of the section on arts and culture states that:
“In addition to the domestic contribution that is made, artists are also ambassadors, and play a role in promoting Canadian arts and culture abroad, which can have tourism benefits.” (p.78)
Then the issue is relegated to the last but one point, before “Other Issues”:
“A number of the Committee’s witnesses spoke about the marketing efforts that are needed to support artistic and cultural endeavours, both domestically and internationally, in order to publicize the nation’s distinctive cultural brand. In noting that international activities can be a vital component of a sound business strategy for artistic and cultural organizations, some witnesses supported a market access and development program, while others advocated a market access or development and innovation program. The particular expertise of the audience and market development activities of the Canada Council for the Arts was highlighted by witnesses, who also advocated cooperation by the Council with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in respect of cultural activities abroad.” (p. 82)
Contrary to what one could have expected, the issue is not picked up by any of the opposition parties! As a matter of fact, the Liberal and the NDP Supplementary Comments do not mention culture at all.
The Bloc Québécois is the only party to talk about culture in its Dissenting Opinion; after stating that “the cultural cuts made by the Conservative government constitute a direct attack on Quebec culture,” the Bloc goes on to say that “To put an end to the absurdity of the federal government’s having financial and regulatory powers over Quebec culture, the Bloc Québécois submitted recommendations to the Committee for transferring funding and powers in this area to Quebec so that we can control our own communications and culture.” What is more surprising is to see that the Bloc’s section entitled An Innovative Economy does not acknowledge the role of arts and culture in this new economy of knowledge!
The Conservatives’ Supplementary Comments are even more troubling. There does not appear to be any threats to cultural programs in the upcoming budget (which could well be a pre-election budget) since it is said that “the Conservative Party believes that Budget 2010 should not be a typical budget. Its central focus should be the continued implementation of Canada’s Economic Action Plan – it will be year two of our two-year Plan.”
But following comments are not likely to reassure anybody in the arts and culture sector:
“Examples of positions we cannot endorse include a costly nationalized daycare plan, an ill-conceived tax subsidy for a select few ‘designated’ individuals, massive new costs for an expanded Employment Insurance program, resurrection of failed government programs, and many others. (…)
The Conservative Party does not feel it to be fiscally prudent to undertake major new spending initiatives. (…) Once the global recovery is secure, the Government will need to begin the return to balanced budgets – not by relying on hiking taxes, slashing benefits to Canadians, or downloading on the provinces – but rather by responsible financial management.” (p.144 et al.)
What can I do?
MPs are going back to their ridings until January 25. Make a point of sending yours your Season’s Greetings with a mention of the importance of arts and culture in the new economy. Also, invite your member, regardless of their party affiliation, to join the newly formed Arts Caucus.
There clearly is a great need on the Hill for information on the numerous contributions the cultural sector makes to Canadian society!
|
